Mediterranean diet associated with slower rate of cognitive decline
The Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, fish and olive oil and moderate wine and alcohol is associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline in older people, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center.The researchers then analyzed how close each of the study participants adhered to a Mediterranean diet, which includes the daily consumption of foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, fish, potatoes and cereals and wine nonrefined.
“The more we are able to incorporate the vegetables, olive oil and fish in our diet and moderate consumption of wine, the better for our brains and organs of aging,” said Tangney.
Christy Tangney, Ph.D., lead author of the study and associate professor at Rush University, said the findings add to other studies showing that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease, some of them.
The results were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
On a maximum score of 55, indicating the total membership of the Mediterranean diet, the study participant scored 28 on average. Those with the highest scores were also those with cognitive tests have a slower rate of decline, even when other factors that could explain the result, as the level of education, were considered.
Other researchers involved in the study were Rush Marie Kwasny, SCD, Hong Li, Robert Wilson, Ph.D., Dr. Denis Evans, and Martha Clare Morris, sudden cardiac death.
Included in the study were among the 3759 residents of South Side of Chicago that are part of the Chicago Healthy Aging Project, an ongoing evaluation of cognitive health in the elderly over 65 years. Every three years, the study participants, aged 65 and over, underwent cognitive assessment that has been testing things like memory and basic math skills. Participants also completed a questionnaire on how often they consumed 139 food products ranging from cereals and olive oil for red meat and alcohol.
